ARF Launches Creative Testing Glossary

The New York-based Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) has released a glossary of commonly used creative testing terms, aiming to 'bridge the gap' between creatives and researchers.

Founded more than 80 years ago, ARF uses industry-level research to help its 400 members enhance their advertising. After a study the association conducted in December found that a lack of trust and misalignment of terms fuels the 'creative-researcher disconnect', the ARF has now launched what it describes as 'the world's first, definitive glossary', which will provide standardized terms, and serve as a guideline for the industry around confusing terminology.

ARF Chief Research Officer Paul Donato told Forbes: 'Methods of creative testing are changing very rapidly. We have recently published a survey among creatives and researchers. Creatives tend to want to use traditional methods of focus groups and ethnographies. Researchers tend to want to use biometrics, facial coding and neuroscience. The glossary attempts to bridge that gap'.

With more than 800 terms and definitions available, the glossary will also be free to the public and to students, and it can be found online at: https://thearf.org/councils/creative-glossary .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.